Dreaming On The Last Mile
by MusicalWheaten
Summary: "It's just he's my big brother, and he's basically been gone for two years. Plus you two would probably like each other a lot." "Is that your way of trying to set me up with your brother kid?" "What? No. Bobbi that's not what I meant at all."
1. Chapter 1

Jemma Simmons tapped the edge of her pencil on the lab table. Jem loved school, but she was ready for the weekend. The weekend meant a possible phone call with her brother, Lance. She was thirteen when he left the first time. After two years he was finally able to spend two weeks at home. She had barely turned fifteen when he came home and he spent most of his two week leave reminding her constantly how much she had grown.

Sure she had grown, and she was more of an adult than expected. She had taken senior level science and math classes as a freshman, and was now enrolled in a local university part time. At fifteen she was the youngest in her Organic Chemistry class by a good four years.

She was thankful when she was paired up with Bobbi Morse as her lab partner. Bobbi was 19, and lived on campus. And Bobbi quickly Jemma's only friend on campus. Most of the students she shared classes with, tended to look down to her. It was understood, she wasn't old enough to drive and was taking and often doing better then them in their classes.

Bobbi would usually stick with Jemma after class. Making sure she got safely into her parents car. Bobbi had kind of become a second big sibling to Jemma. And today would prove to be no different as the professor dismissed the class. Jemma wasted no time packing her books and other materials.

Just like usual Bobbi was right behind Jemma as she left the classroom. Jemma would wait outside the front of the science building for either her mom or dad to pick her up, just as she would every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Jemma thought it was nice that Bobbi would stay and talk to her until her ride came, instead of heading right back to her dorm, like she could've done. Jemma had asked her once, seeing as Bobbi's dorm was on the other side of campus, and she often felt like she had become an inconvenience to Bobbi. Bobbi would assure her that it was no big deal, and that Jemma was her friend and that's why she would wait with her three times a week, every week since the start of the semester.

Jemma let out a brief sigh as they arrived outside. She was hoping her parents would be on time, she was looking forward to being at home. She was looking forward to possibly be able to talk to her brother. She knew it wasn't likely he'd be able to call, he had called last weekend, and she had unfortunately missed it. She was helping tutor one of the seniors in pre calculus. She had been able to take pre calculus as a frehsman. She hated it, trying to teach someone three years older then her how the class they were taking worked. They often didn't respect her, just because she was younger.

"Hey what's wrong kid," Bobbi asked suddenly.

"What," Jemma questioned shaking herself out of her fog.

"You've been quiet today, plus you look like you're ready to walk home. Usually you look like you never want to leave here."

"I just can't wait to get home I'm just hoping Lance gets to call this weekend. You know I missed his call last weekend."

"So you've told me."

"It's just he's my big brother, and he's basically been gone for two years. Plus you two would probably like each other a lot."

"Is that your way of trying to set me up with your brother kid?"

"What? No. Bobbi that's not what I meant at all."

Bobbi was ready to tell Jemma she was just joking, until someone caught her eye. A scruffier looking man sneaking up behind her friend who was still lost in her own world, in which her brother hadn't been gone for two years. Bobbi acted quickly, as the man approached her young friend. Before he even know what hit him his back hit the ground.

"Bloody hell women!"

"Hunter," Jemma questioned as she turned around shocked. She had watched Bobbi swoop from where she was standing a few spots in front of Jemma, and all she heard was something hit the ground with a thud.

"Christ I try to surprise my sister by picking her up from school, and I end up on the ground," he snarled standing up and dusting himself off.

Lance wasn't able to get another word out before Jemma had slung her arms around him. Lance returned her hug, rubbing small circles between her shoulders as she started crying.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming home," she managed to ask.

"It was a surprise. Mom and dad helped plan it."

"How long are you home for?"

"Just a week," he mumbled sadly, as Jemma pulled herself away from her brother.

"This is your brother," Bobbi questioned once the duo split up.

"Bobbi. This is my brother. Lance Hunter," Jemma was able to sniffle out as she wiped tears out of her eyes.

"Sorry about that? I just saw someone coming at my friend and the defense classes kicked in."

"Sorry? All you're going to say is sorry? WHAT IF I HAD BROKEN SOMETHING? How were you even able to do that anyways. I'm a lieutenant."

"A lieutenant really? What is that supposed to impress me?"

"Does it look like I'm trying to impress you?"

"GUYS!"

"What," the two turned from their argument to face Jemma.

"Now Hunter I'm sure Bobbi is sorry for flipping you, but in her defense she didn't know you were my brother. For all she knew you were some creep trying to kidnap me. Plus last time I saw you, you were clean shaven."

Hunter just shook his head. His sister who had always been wise beyond her years had made a point. Bobbi didn't know him, much less what he looked like.

"I suppose since you are Jemma's brother, I can give you a shot," Bobbi joked.

"Thanks I guess? Who are you anyways."

"Hunter this is Bobbi. My only friend at university," Jemma stated quietly.

"I guess if my sister likes you, I can be nice for now," Hunter smirked.

"So are we agreeing to start over? Because name is Bobbi. Bobbi Morse."

"What's that short for?"

"Wouldn't you like to know. Everyone calls me Bobbi, even my parents who were the ones to curse me with my name."

"Well Bob, names Lance Hunter. Mostly go by Hunter though," he smiled extending his hand.

"Now that we've cleared the air, what took you so long Hunter, mum and dad would've been here at least thirty minutes ago, and by the looks of it your car is elsewhere, and I hope you didn't park it in permit lot."

"I would've been here earlier but mum and dad didn't specify which science building I was supposed to pick you up at, and I finally gave up driving around and decided to walk till I could find you," Hunter murmured.

"Let's go before your car gets towed or ticketed, because knowing you it's bound to happen."

"What about her," he motioned towards Bobbi.

"This is where I walk, back to my dorm. A night filled with crappy pizza and hoping my roommate doesn't kick me out to fuck her boyfriend."

"Look my parents are throwing a party. Excited their only son is home for a week and all. You won't have to worry about your roommate giving you the boot, plus home cooked food," Hunter tried convincing her.

"I don't want to impose."

"It's my party technically, plus you're Jemma's friend. You might as well just come."

"And how I'm going to get back to campus later?"

"Don't worry about it I can drive you back later tonight," Hunter offered, "and I'm sure if you're afraid to be left alone with me Jem would ride back with us."

"I'm sure I'll be able to handle myself just fine. I did manage to flip you after all," Bobbi smirked, "now where did you park. You better hope campus police didn't give you a ticket."


	2. Chapter 2

Hunter loved attention. That was very clear to Bobbi when they had arrived back his and Jemma's parent's home. And what a good night it would prove to be for him. A party all in his honor. He seemed to have been enjoying the soaking in the attention last time Bobbi had seen him which had been almost an hour ago.

Bobbi enjoyed the fact their family seemed extremely welcoming. Extended family who had come to see Lance greeted her without a second thought. His mom pointed her to the kitchen once the greetings were done, citing if she was Jem's friend from school she needed a nice home cooked meal.

Jemma had been distracted by one of their neighbors not that long ago, leaving Bobbi to float between a few of the relatives and neighbors who hadn't kept their distance from her.

"Here, you look like you could use one," Hunter mused. Bobbi shook her head in his direction. He had two beer bottles in his hand she assumed one was his.

"I'm only nineteen."

"And I'm twenty. Look my parents don't care. Besides mum was the one to tell me to offer you a drink. If you don't want one its fine, but if you'd rather something else we have other choices."

"So what your parents just let you drink whenever?"

"Laws were different in England. They'll let Jem drink when she turns sixteen. It's perfectly legal in England. Actually technically if we were in England it would be legal for us to drink at a private party starting at five," Hunter laughed.

"Then why are they making Jem wait til she's sixteen if she would so called be able to drink at the age of five?"

"For that you'd have to ask them," he scoffed.

"So you're parents are cool with you letting me drink?"

"I told you my mum was the one who told me to offer you a beer. You're over eighteen. Which means in England you'd be able to just walk in anywhere and be able to get a drink."

Bobbi shot him a cautionary glare before accepting the beer. "Aren't you supposed to drive me home, should you really be drinking?"

"One beer. At seven thirty, shouldn't really be impairing my judgement when I drive you home," he laughed. He hadn't even planned to get buzzed. Bobbi glared at him again, as she opened the bottle. He did raise a valid point. He didn't bother to respond to her glare just took a sip of his beer.

"There you two are," Jemma spoke quickly , "mum sent me to find you Lance. Something about Mr. Arts from next door."

"I better go, I'll see you two in a bit," he smiled, before leaving to go find his mom and their neighbor.

"You too seem to be hitting it off," Jemma smiled.

"I thought you weren't trying to set me up with your brother," Bobbi mused taking a sip of her beer.

"I'm not! You're my two favorite people in the world I want you to get along."

"Just don't start planning a wedding," Bobbi laughed, "I'll have to ask for a new lab partner and we both know we're the smartest in the class and everyone else is a downgrade."

"Whose wedding is Jem planning?"

"I'm not planning anyone's wedding," Jemma sighed exasperated.

* * *

><p>Jemma let out a sigh of relieve as the final guest left. Her brothers party was finally over. Jemma was thankful Bobbi had seemed to get along with her family, the last thing she needed would be to lose her only university friend because of her loud and overbearing family. She was especially glad to see her best friend and her brother hitting it off. They were the two people she felt closest two, and the last thing she would've wanted was for the two of them to hate each other, especially after the whole Bobbi flipping him incidence from earlier.<p>

"Ready to go kid," she heard someone ask. Jemma had been saying goodbye to one of their neighbors. A neighbor whose son she happened to tutor, and of course they wanted to know how their kid was doing with school recently.

Jemma had agreed to ride back when Lance took Bobbi back to her dorm hours ago. The party had worn her out, and she was honestly ready to sleep. However after knowing Lance for so long, she knew that he would likely get lost on his way home without her.

"Sure," she nodded, turning to face her brother and Bobbi. The trio walked out the front door, and over to wear Hunter's car had been parked in the street. Jemma got into the back seat without saying a word. Once everyone was situated and on the road. No one said much as they drove, it was a twenty minute ride to campus.

"Hey Jemma, did you want to get together on Monday to work on our lab reports," Bobbi asked craning her neck to look at Jemma.

"And it seems the kid is asleep."

"She was always the one to sleep in the car. Sleep or read," Hunter muttered.

"And what did you do during car rides?"

"Well before we moved to America when I was ten, I used to do a lot of looking out the window. I was curious of the world. Maybe that's why I joined the Army. Join the Army, travel the world, meeting interesting people, and kill them," he said the last three words barely a whisper.

"Oh."

"And then we moved. I was ten, Jem was five. She doesn't remember much of England. Which is fine for her, but it was home. Maybe that's why I was so ready to leave when I turned eighteen. Who knows," he laughed.

"Can I ask you something, maybe it's too personal but I'm curious."

"What could you possibly have to ask me? If it's if I'm good in bed, you'd have to ask someone else," he teased. Bobbi rolled her eyes, not that he could see. He was thankfully focusing on the road.

"It's just Jemma's last name and your parents last name is Simmons, but your last name is Hunter."

"Well for one thing dad isn't actually my dad. I don't know my dad in all honesty, he was dead before I was old enough to remember him. Mum asked if I wanted to change my name when she remarried, but at that point most people called me Hunter, it seemed weird to become Lance Simmons, when everyone called me Hunter. Mum has said I even told her 'no I'm Hunter not Simmons.' But what other answer could you expect from a four and a half year old."

"So four and a half year old you picked your last name by what people called you?"

"Hey I was probably really concerned people were going to start calling me Simmons," he smiled.

"Do you ever wish you had changed your name?"

"In all honestly no. I was born Lance Hunter and I'll die as Lance Hunter."

"Do you plan on dying soon?"

"No. But you never know when you're serving, what could happen."

"That's a grime way to look at things."

"It's the truth. I've lost friends over there. Guys my age, gone right in front of me. You become a bit of pessimist when you're serving."

Bobbi tried to think of something to say. She had only know Hunter for a few hours, but the hurt was clear in his voice. She could simply say she was sorry. Sorry for the friends he had lost.

"Turn right here," was all she could say as they rolled up to a stop sign. They had turned onto the road her dorm was on.

"Which one is it?"

"Its the second building on the left," she murmured as he pulled over onto the side of the street on the right.

"I had fun. Thanks for coming and keeping Jem company. It's nice to see her with a friend. Kids in school have always been intimidated by her brain. No one really wants to spend time with a girl whose fifteen and taking college classes."

Maybe that's what Jemma meant when she said she thought Bobbi and Lance would probably get along. He cared about his baby sister, and it seemed to mean a lot that she had found one friend in university. Bobbi never thought much of it. Jemma was a sweetheart, and easier to talk to then anyone else in the class. Bobbi never really saw Jemma as a genius, just as a friend.

"Give me your phone," Bobbi muttered. Trying to not let herself have time to second guess herself.

"Why?"

"Because I want to give you my number before I change my mind."

"I knew you'd like me eventually Bob," he teased sliding his phone out of his jean pocket and handing it to the blonde.

"Maybe the three of us can do something together before you go back," she said.

"Or if you just need a friend when you're home," she added. She had noticed at the party everyone seemed to be friends of his parents, and no one was there just to see him. She thought about what he had said about England being home.

"Jemma wake up it's time to say goodbye to Bobbi," he urged unbuckling his seat to poke his sleeping sister, in an attempt to wake her.

"She's a sound sleeper. I'm sure she'd say goodbye if she was awake," he joked.

"Tell her I'll see her in class on Monday," she said handing his phone back and unlocking her door.

"Goodnight Bobbi Morse."

"Goodnight Lance Hunter," she smiled opening the door and climbing out of the car.


End file.
